Give back! Save Patagonia's Wild Rivers

[mfrench]

SAVE PATAGONIA’S WILD RIVERS!

The Pascua and Baker Rivers in Chile’s Patagonia are wild, pure, glacier-fed rivers that tumble down to spectacular fjords. They’re so remote that only the luckiest kayakers and fishermen have experienced them.

Local residents are eager to attract more eco- and adventure-tourists to Patagonia’s pristine wilderness. By sharing the beauty, joys and adventure of the region with appreciative guests, they hope to preserve it as a “Reserve of Life (Reserva de Vida).”

But there are other plans for Patagonia’s rivers. A consortium of powerful energy companies from Spain, Italy and Chile wants to build 5 dams on the Pascua and Baker rivers. The project would destroy the rivers and submerge unique forest ecosystems -- habitat for many endangered and endemic species. But that’s not all. To deliver electricity to Chile’s northern industrial zone, the companies would erect power lines across 1,500 miles of Chilean forests. The lines would plow through at least 4 national parks and as many as 7 other protected areas, as well as indigenous Mapuche communities.

Patagonian environmental organizations have created an international coalition to fight the HidroAysen project. Please join us! See:

www.globalresponse.org to see campaign video and write a letter to stop the dams

www.internationalrivers.org to see expedition to the headwaters of the Pascua and other articles

If you can help promote this campaign, please contact:

Paula Palmer, Executive Director
Global Response
PO Box 7490
Boulder CO 80306 USA
Tel +303/444-0306
paula@globalresponse.org
Thank you,
Corie French

[mfrench]

Admin.....can you make this a sticky?? Thanks.

[KSC]

Thanks for the alert. A number of people have told me Chile is one of the most incredible places they've paddled. I'd like to get down there sometime myself without everything being dammed up and industrialized. Will be sending my letter shortly...

[benpetri]

Agreed! I will be getting my letter in the mail shortly as well.

BTW - we should rally the troops for a trip down there. I definately want to get down there before it gets wrecked.

[Steve Kahn]

what is this, a front range bitch fighters thread?

who cares about rivers, or pristine natural places, or stoping corporate interests from industrializing a third world country, anyways?

maybe a philanthropic raft company would be so kind as to put up some flyers or collection things.

surely all the tourons who get their thrill out of a guided tour might be inclined to help out given the right kind of marketing message....

perhaps a raft company that wants good publicity might help out?